Extension foot for ladders



P 1951 J. c. DOSS 2,567,806

EXTENSION FOOT FOR LADDERS I Y Filed May 15, 1949 Inventor John C. Doss Patented Sept. 11, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v 2,567,806, I H EXTENSIONFOOT FOR sauna-Rs;

JohnC. Doss, Gap Mills; w. Va. Application May-:13, 1949f, Serial No. il2,9 8 8ij 1; This invention relates. new and useful improvements in ladder attachments and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a foot extension bracket for ladders so that the ladder may be adjustably accommodated to irregular supports.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a foot extension bracket for ladders including a sliding member or sleeve and embodying. novel and improved means for locking the sleeve. in a selected extended position relative to one rail of a'ladder.

A further object of the present. invention is to provide a foot extension bracket for ladders includin a. sliding sleeve, and embodying a novel and improved locking mechanism and means for attaching the locking mechanism between the lower two rungs of a ladder.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a ladder evener that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, neat and attractive in appearance, small and compact in structure, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Claims. (01. 228- 63 with a pluralityof longitudinally spaced teeth 2o.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation a more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a ladder and showing the present invention applied there to for supporting the ladder in an upright position upon an irregular surface;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a ladder and showing the present invention applied to one rail thereof, and with parts of the present invention broken away for the'purpose of illustration;

Figure 3 is a, fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 33 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a locking mechanism and attaching plate therefor that are used in conjunction with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral In represents an elongated sliding member or sleeve having a closed lower end I2. The inner side wall l4 of the sleeve I0 is provided with an elongated substantially rectangular opening I6 and the longitudinal side edges I8 defining the opening I6 are provided v The numeral 22- represents the lockin mech- V anism and attaching plate therefor that are used in conjunction with the-present invention. The

-. attaching plate 24 is elongated and its ends are provided with recesses26 and 28, respectively, that will receive the next to the lower rail 28 and lower rail 34!, of a ladder designated generally by the numeral 32. V

Secured to the anchor plate 24, in any suitable manner, is a laterally projecting pivot pin, 34 that receives the upper sleeved portions 3.5 and 38, of a pair of locking. members or pawls 4-0 and 42. A coil spring 44 is disposed between. the pawlsand 42 and is terminally fixed to the pawls. 4B and 42 to urge the lower outwardly curved ends 46 and 48 ofthe pawls 40 and 42 spaced from each other.

It should be noted, that the outwardly curved end portions and 48 of the pawls 40 and 42 are so bent or curved as to be received upon the horizontal edges of selected teeth 20 along the edges IS.

The outwardly turned end portion 50 of a substantially L-shaped guide member or angle member 52 is fixed to the anchor plate 24 above the pivot pin 36 and one leg of the member 52 overlies the pawls 4D and 42 to restrict lateral movement of the pawls.

In practical use of the present invention, the anchor plate 24 is first applied to the rungs 28 and 30, by tilting the anchor plate 24 so that the rungs 28 and 30 will enter the recesses 26 and 28. By then straightening the plate 24 and forcing the same against the inner face of one rail 54 of the ladder 32, the anchor plate will be held against longitudinal and lateral movement. Next, the lower end of the rail 54 is placed within the sleeve l0, it being noted that the space between the longitudinal edges I8 is sufficient to accommodate the rungs 28 and 30 of the ladder 32.

One le portion of the guide 52 is slidably received in the slot I6, and between the edges Hi.

The spring or spring member 44 will urge the outwardly turned ends 46 and 48 of the pawls 40 and 42 into locking engagement with selected of the teeth 20 in order to retain the sleeve I0 extended a predetermined amount from the rail 54.

It should be noted, that a portion of each pawl projects outwardly from the outer face to the wall l4 permitting convenient access to the pawls so that a user may urge the same toward each other when adjusting the sleeve with respect to 3 the rail 54 or when removing the sleeve H] from the rail 54.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An extension foot fOr ladders comprising a sleeve adapted to slidably receive one rail of a ladder, said sleeve having an elongated slot therein, teeth provided on the edges defining the slot, an anchor plate adapted for placement betweena pair of rungs of aladder, a pair of pawls pivoted to said anchor plate, said pawls being received in said slot, and a sprin member biased between said pawls and urging the pawls into locking engagement with said teeth.

2. An extension foot for ladders comprising a sleeve adapted to slidably receive one rail of a ladder, said sleeve having an elongated slot therein, teeth provided on the edges defining the slot, an anchor plate adapted for placement between a pair of rungs of a ladder, a single pivot pin mounted on said anchor plate, a pair of pawls pivotally mounted on said pin, a guide secured to the anchor plate and received in said slot, said pawls also received in said slot, and resilient 4 means biased between said pawls and urgin the same into locking engagement with said teeth.

3. An extension foot for ladders comprising a sleeve slidably receiving the lower end of one rail of a ladder, said sleeve having an elongated substantially rectangular slot therein, the longitudinal edges defining the slot being toothed, an anchorplate adapted to be mounted on one rail of a ladder and disposed within the sleeve, and a pair of locking members mounted on the plate for selectively engaging the toothed edges.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said anchor plate comprises an elongated plate having end recesses for receiving a pair of adjacent rungs of a ladder.

5. The combination of claim 3 wherein said locking members include a pair of pawls, a pivot pin secured to said anchor plate receiving the pawls, and a spring biased between the pawls and urging the same into locking engagement with the toothed longitudinal edges defining the slot.

JOHN C. DOSS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 484,858 Marshall Oct. 25, 1892 719,188 Clancy Jan. 27, 1903 795,196 Conover et al. July 18, 1905 898,973 Curran Sept. 15, 1908 1,033,685 Eskew July 23, 1912 1,093,419 Hoffman 'Apr; 14, 1914 1,251,192 Drummond Dec. 25, 1917 

